updated 12:00 pm EST, Thu November 6, 2008

Sanyo dual-lamp projector

Sanyo on Thursday introduced its newest projector, the LP-XTC50, which offers the industry's first lamp selection system, making it virtually maintenance-free for up to 6,000 hours of operation. The system can automatically or manually choose one of two lamps to project from, switching between them based on user preference or preprogrammed settings. Meant for commercial applications, the LP-XTC50 sports Sanyo's Active Maintenance Filter that automatically detects clogs and scrolls the filter reel to a clean filter panel, of which there are 10.

Users have the option of running the projector in an Alternating mode, which alternates the lamps and has them wear out at relatively the same time, while a Relay mode uses one lamp exclusively until it reaches the end of its life.

As expected, the LP-XTC50 has higher brightness levels than its predecessors, and uses lens shifting that can adjust its throw by 50 percent vertically and 15 percent horizontally and automatically adjust keystone corrections 20 degrees horizontally and 40 vertically during the installation process.

The LP-XTC50 will launch in Japan on January 9th, priced at the equivalent of about $10,730; a US date is likely forthcoming but hasn't been mentioned with the new release.